Synopsis

Two ordinary objects turned a pair of brothers into superheroes. Now they’re banding together with their neighbors to take down the evil Trench once and for all in the final volume of this graphic novel trilogy.

Tuck and Hudson have figured out how to wield the superpowers they got when their mom bought them an ordinary-looking pair of scarves and an umbrella at a yard sale. But Trench, their supervillain archnemesis, is only getting more powerful. Slowly, the brothers have discovered the others in their town who have superpowered objects from that same yard sale. Now Tuck and Hudson, along with their friend Elvira and their squirrel sidekick, Steen, are leading a band of heroes in the fight against Trench. This final volume of the graphic novel adventure series features the heroes’ last stand, with plenty of twists and turns along the way. (Goodreads)

My rating: 4 stars
It was lovely. Definitely recommend.

Review

Fun, colourful and with a great cast of characters, Secondhand Heroes: The Last Battle is a fantastic read for middle graders and superhero fans of any age.

All three of the Secondhand Heroes graphic novels are gorgeous with ink and watercolour artwork. It’s a style unique from what is seen in most graphic novels these days and feels very nostalgic.

A few really rad aspects to the books include the realistic and positive representation of family relationships, the representation of girls and boys as superheroes who can make a difference by working together, and the inclusion of diverse races and body types throughout the story.

The relationships that I especially enjoyed reading about were those between brothers Tuck and Hudson, and between the boys and their parents. The boys respect each other and care about one another. But, in a reflection of the reality of siblings, they do not always get along. They do, however, communicate well and apologize to each other when they mess up. Their parents are present and integral to the story but not neglectful or over-involved in their kids’ lives. Many middle grade and YA books have extreme representations of parents and often negative portrayals of families. The family dynamic in Secondhand Heroes was refreshing to see.

Diverse, full of adventure and relatable imperfect characters who figure things out as they go along, Secondhand Heroes: The Last Battle is a solid finale for a trilogy filled with superheroes using ordinary objects to save their town.